The best way to be successful in a job search is to be prepared. By putting in the effort beforehand, you will be able to present yourself in the best possible way to a prospective employer, by having a clean, professional online presence and organized application materials.

Steps

Method1

Professionalizing your Online Presence

1

Privatize your online profiles and social media accounts. Go in to the settings of every last one of your existing accounts and profiles, and customize the privacy. For any existing profiles or accounts you wish to keep entirely public, for example a Tumblr blog, make sure that your full name is not listed anywhere on the blog or page, and that the account is not associated with your name in a search from any of the main search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing etc.).

For Facebook, open up the Privacy menu and click See more settings. Next to Limit the audience for posts you've shared with friends of friends or Public?, click Limit Past Posts. This will make all your past posts friends-only.[1]

For Twitter, open up Settings and click Security and privacy. Under Privacy, there will be a Tweet privacy option -- check the box next to this to make your Tweets private and viewable only to your followers. [2]

Repeat this process for any other online accounts you possess, including but not limited to Google+, Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr and more.

2

Clean up your search engine results. This isn't limited to just Google. You need to control the search results attached to your name in all major search engines. Search for your name with keywords such as your location and your profession (i.e. John Smith Portland, John Smith marketing consultant). Do a search using any nicknames or usernames that may be associated with your real name. Then take steps to remove any negative information.

Find any content that fits in the following categories: embarrassing or inappropriate photos, negative or inappropriate language or strong opinions, complaints about current or former employers, poor grammar or spelling, references to illegal activity, drinking, or drug use, legal challenges, blatant self promotion, inconsistencies between your resume and online presence, and any indication that a candidate lacks maturity or good judgement. These are all "red flags" to employers.[3]

Contact Google directly. Google will remove sensitive information such as financial information, your phone number, an image of your handwritten signature, or a nude or sexually explicit image or video of you that’s been shared without your consent. [4] It can also remove copyrighted content. [5]Google can remove the content from their search engines, but it can still be found through the direct URL, or through other search engines.

Send requests to blog owners and webmasters to remove problematic content. This is the most effective way to remove content, as the webmaster can delete the page or item entirely. Phrase the request politely, explain why you want it removed, and that you are job hunting. [6] If the content is defamatory, libelous, or inaccurate, say so. [7]

If the webmaster in question refuses to remove the content, and it is very damaging to you, you may wish to pursue legal options. If the content constitutes slander or defamation, you can sue to have it removed. Certain types of content, such as mug shots, are illegal in certain states. [8]

3

Clean up your social media presence. Social media profiles tend to rank highly in search engines, which means it's often one of the top results when a name is searched in Google or another search engine. Social media accounts have a strong effect on your online reputation and by extension, what impression the potential employer will have of you.

Remove anything you have posted that could reflect badly on you, even if it is now hidden behind a privacy wall. It can always be shared via social media or screenshot by people who are connected with you. Remove racist, sexist, or generally offensive posts or comments, inappropriate jokes, and unprofessional photos. [9]

Ask connections to remove anything they have posted that could reflect badly on you. This can include asking friends and acquaintances to untag you in photos or delete posts about you. Mention that it is to help you in your job search so they are motivated to delete the content quickly. If they do not do so, untag yourself and remove the content at least from your own wall or profile.

Do not simply delete all your social media profiles. An employer who searches for you will wonder why you have no social media presence. Worse, any negative item related to your name, in the present or future, will instantly become the top search result. [10] Delete active social media profiles only as a last resort.

4

Consider using different names for personal and professional purposes. In some cases, the results from search engines and the content on social media may be too damaging. If you are not able to have it all taken down, it's worth it to consider using a variation of your name as your professional name.

If necessary, change both the name on your accounts and the name on your professional content so there's no resemblance. For example, you can use your first name and middle name on personal profiles, and your first name and last name for professional purposes. [11] There are many possible variations; the important thing is to create a distance between those two names.

If you choose to use different names, also separate your online presence into different email addresses. Many social networks have options to allow anyone to search users by email address or find users in their contact list by email address. [12]

Get your own domain name. [13] This serves two purposes. It prevents someone other than you from presenting themselves as you, and instead firmly establishes a positive presence for your identity online. Domains cost around $15 per year or less to register. Using your domain you can then build a website, blog, or portfolio to establish your reputation online. Even a Tumblr page can rank high in search results if your name is used.

Use the established website or blog as as a professional branding tool. Post content with interesting articles or issues relating to your interests or line of work. This will help push any negative content online down in search results, and impress an employer who may be reviewing your online presence. [14]

Create new social media profiles. If you do not have social media profiles on all the most popular applications, or if your old ones were so problematic you simply had to delete them, set up new ones. Clearly brand these to your name. Customize the URL so that it includes your professional name. Add friends and attempt to grow followers, while carefully curating the content. This will greatly assist in creating a positive online reputation.[15]

Method2

Updating Your Contact Information

1

Use a professional email. This can be hosted at any email service - Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail and so on. The email address itself must be clean and professional however, preferably a version of your name. John.Smith@gmail.com is ideal. Shift away from any existing unprofessional email addresses, such as “soccerfan2938@yahoo.com.” If you don’t have an existing formal email address, create a new one with one of many free email services.

2

Set up a clean email signature with your full contact information. Go to your email settings and create a default email signature with your cell phone number, home phone number if you have one, and email address. Include the URL of your public LinkedIn profile if you have one. This makes your information easily accessible to potential employers.

3

Set up a simple, concise voicemail. A professional voicemail should primarily communicate information and not convey your personality. Avoid humor, singing, or inside jokes. A good professional voicemail will be something like the following: “Hi, you have reach John Smith. Please leave your name and number, and I will return your call as soon as possible. Thanks.” [16]

Method3

Creating a Resume

1

Make a resume that includes all of your information. As you apply for different positions, you can tailor your information for the specific job you are applying for without much effort.[17] Study the job posting and the company's web site and mirror some of the words, phrases, and attitudes you see listed there. Pick and choose among your job history if you can so as to include only the information that is relevant to the job opening.

2

Keep the resume to one page, but expand if necessary. Most hiring managers and recruiters spend less than a minute looking at each resume. It's important that all the important points and information about you be readily available at a glance. If you're in your twenties, you don't need more than one page.

This isn't an iron-clad rule however. If you have 15 or more years of experience, you don't necessarily need to fit all on one page. Take as much space as you need to fit the relevant information - no more and no less. [18]

3

Include keywords and achievement metrics. Using keywords related to your achievements and the job posting, and quantifiable numbers to describe your achievements, makes your resume stand out from the pack.[19]

“Improved,” “created” and “increased” are some of the keywords that stand out to recruiters when describing your accomplishments.[20] Where possible, also repeat words from the job posting itself.[21]

Include skill-based and volunteer information. If you have field-specific certificates or skills, list those. You may want to include relevant freelance projects or job-related coursework as well.[23]

If you have space, list out any volunteer work you've done, using the position title (e.g. project coordinator) rather than "Volunteer." This adds to your experience section and can make you more appealing to a company. [24]

When listing skills, try to use the field-specific language (e.g. if you are applying for a job as a nurse, using language that a nurse might use in the field).

5

Optimize your resume visually. Make it as readable as possible by changing the font from Word's standard Calibri to Helvetica, Arial, or Times New Roman. [25] Save it as a PDF to maintain stylistic consistency across all computer systems.

You may wish to add some color,or use a non-traditional layout. Do not use too much color. A navy blue border can be enough to make your resume more unique. [26] Choose or create a layout that optimizes your qualifications and experiences. Don't rely on a generic resume template.

Make sure whatever layout you choose still includes all of your contact and career information in an easy-to-read format.

Method4

Supplementing Your Professional Presence

1

Create a LinkedIn profile. Set it to public to optimize your job search. Treat this as a forum for your resume, so fill out your job information completely. Use first person instead of third, particularly in writing your summary section.[27] Use the summary section to list specific types of experience you have, rather than as a general statement of your background. This will make your profile much more searchable. [28]

Create a custom URL for your public profile by changing the URL to https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourname (or some similar, simple variation on your name if somebody is already using it).[29] Go to "Edit Profile" and then "Settings" for your URL link, and change it from there.

Don't include buzzwords. Unlike your resume, buzzwords will actually hurt your presence on LinkedIn because it will make you less searchable. LinkedIn periodically releases lists of the most overused words on the platform, reference these to know what to avoid - including words like "motivated," "driven," and "passionate."

2

Create an online portfolio.[30] For people in creative professions, this provides an easily-accessible, visual overview of their work. For those in other professions, it's an easy way to control your online presence and impress a potential employer should they search for you online. There are many online portfolio services that are free or charge a low fee, including Behance.com, Carbonmade, and others. [31] Even Wordpress has many portfolio layouts available.

Include research, publications, and reports. This can be anything from academic papers to work-related reports.

Post testimonials and letters of recommendation. Upload copies or screenshots of any positive feedback you've received from employers, mentors, professors, and so on. [32]

3

Network so as to build your connections and presence. Attend events, communicate with your existing network, and actively seek to make new connections, especially in the field you work in or would like to work in. This will give you greater visibility in your field and your area.

Attend networking events through sites such as meetup.com and LinkedIn Events. Look for professional groups or associations that are local to your city, and gain membership. Consider attending trade shows, conferences, and alumni events. [33]

Come up with a basic speech or paragraph summarizing your background and who you are. Make sure that it's short and sounds natural. Use this summary in conversation when you attend events, and in emails or messages as you seek to build professional contacts.[34]